The NKVD and GULAG Flashcards
Stats about the NKVD and GULAG (20 cards)
What was the original name of the secret police in Communist Russia from 1917 to 1922?
Cheka
The Cheka was the first Soviet secret police organization.
What was the name of the secret police from 1922 to 1934?
OGPU
The OGPU was the successor to the Cheka.
When was the NKVD formed?
1934
The NKVD combined various police and military forces into one organization.
What does NKVD stand for?
People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs
The NKVD was responsible for state security and law enforcement.
What was one of the main roles of the NKVD?
Eliminating political enemies
The NKVD was heavily involved in the Great Purges under Stalin.
True or False: The NKVD needed evidence or witnesses to make an arrest.
False
The NKVD could arrest individuals without needing evidence.
From what age could the NKVD prosecute children as adults starting in 1935?
12
This policy reflected the harshness of the NKVD’s approach to law enforcement.
What were potential consequences for workers who broke workplace rules?
Fines, being fired from their job
The NKVD employed strict measures to maintain control over labor.
What does GULAG stand for?
Chief Administration of Corrective Labour Camps
The GULAG was a system of forced labor camps in the Soviet Union.
When was the GULAG system created?
1919
It was established soon after the Bolshevik Revolution.
Where were many lagery located?
Siberia
Siberia was chosen due to its harsh climate and remoteness.
What were the primary aims of the GULAG system?
- Severely punish criminals
- Deter other citizens from committing crimes
- Provide the state with free labour
Who were some of the types of people imprisoned in the GULAG system?
- Political opponents
- Kulaks and NEPmen
- Workers accused of sabotaging
- Members of the military
- Artists who broke censorship
What were conditions like in the GULAG system?
- Overcrowded wooden lodges
- Little sanitation
- Spread of diseases
- No heating
- Many died from cold conditions
What was a show trial?
A staged, public trial with a predetermined outcome
Show trials were used to eliminate dissent and instill fear.
In the Great Purge, who did Stalin place in show trials?
High-profile Bolsheviks
These trials were meant to display loyalty to Stalin’s regime.
What was the outcome of the Trial of 16 in 1936?
All 16 people were executed
This trial included notable figures like Zinoviev and Kamenev.
What were the charges in the Trial of 21 in 1938?
- Disrupting Five-Year Plans
- The murder of Kirov
- Plotting to overthrow the government
What was the verdict for the Trial of 17 in 1937?
Guilty
13 people were executed and four sent into the GULAG system.
Fill in the blank: The NKVD tortured suspects so they would _______.
confess
This tactic was used to extract false confessions from individuals.
